Well, I looked around and tried to find the search function for this forum but to no avail. SO! I'm trying to dig up some user experience for the H&K .308 semi-auto rifle. If anybody here has experience with this item please jump in and post your 2cents worth as to why I should or should not get one.

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Things usually turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out.

there are only a few HK 7.62 x 51 rifles that you will be able to get here in Kommiefornia one is the HK911 (variant of HK91), Hk41 and I can't remember the others. All of them are over 3k! They're all tough as nails and accurate. Very heavy and all resemble the HK91 which is a listed Assault Weapon here, expect lots of looks and questions. One of the reasons I sold mine. Just my 2 cents worth.

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At the expense of getting roundly thumped, the H&K G3 (91 semi) is considered by the German Army to be a throw away rifle. After the expected barrel life of 9,000 to 11,000 rounds they were destroyed and a new rifle issued. If you have one long enough and have fired it often enough you'll find it begins to loosen and rattle. Cheap in Europe, they were expensive here.

__________________Latigo

An'' ole' Brer' Rabbit...... he set in de bushes..... he watch an' he wait... lay low an' he don' say nuffin'.

At the expense of getting roundly thumped, the H&K G3 (91 semi) is considered by the German Army to be a throw away rifle. After the expected barrel life of 9,000 to 11,000 rounds they were destroyed and a new rifle issued. If you have one long enough and have fired it often enough you'll find it begins to loosen and rattle. Cheap in Europe, they were expensive here.

Jeez, for a rifle that is originally intended to be throw-away, it sure costs a bundle especially one that is made with a stamped receiver.

For $3K+, I guess I can get a LMT MWS (or any top quality .308 AR) and get much better accuracy.

I purchased a used HK91 in 1988 when they were still gun shows at Pomona Fairgrounds. It functioned easily through another 2000 rounds that I had put through it and still held a 2" group at 100 yrds with open sights and surplus ammo. It ate everything I fed it except for some tar sealed stuff that gummed the chamber flutes (but cleared quickly with clean ammo). I actually wore out two original HK Alum mags (which are supposed to be "disposable" anyway). I'm rather confused at Latigo's comment saying they would start to "loosen and rattle" over time since mine was always solid with only a cracked stock (1/2" split along the mold line) that reflected its use (but i may have smacked it). The rifle actually has some nice built in features for a "battle rifle" - true Hk's had free floating barrels and the bipods are strong enough where you could stand on the rifle with it deployed (don't ask me why I know this). I hated the creep and vagueness in the trigger though....I ended up trading it for an SR9 3 days before the last AW ban. Made it a "TC" configuration adding a PSG1 trigger and stock. The octagonal barrel works good with moly coated 168 grn ammo and on a good day can turn in a 1.25" to .80" grouping at 100 yrds with a cruddy "Super Sniper" 10x42. Forget trying to reload the brass - even with a port buffer its hit/miss.

I've got 3 PTR's & a newly aquired Greek SAR-8. They are all absolutely awesome, accurate & reliable. Not one of them has ever failed to do anything.

I recently welded a picatinny rail (from HK Parts) to the top of my receiver. Now optics mounting is as easy as the AR platform. My last AR .308 couldn't get through a 10 round mag with at least 3 FTF/FTE. I don't own it anymore. No plans for another after spending some time with the HK platform.

Well, I looked around and tried to find the search function for this forum but to no avail. SO! I'm trying to dig up some user experience for the H&K .308 semi-auto rifle. If anybody here has experience with this item please jump in and post your 2cents worth as to why I should or should not get one.

__________________The way some gunshop clerks spout off, you'd think that they invented gunpowder and the repeating rifle, and sat on the Supreme Court as well.
___________________________________________"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it."
- Jeff Cooper

Check my current auctions on Gunbroker - user name bigbasscat - see what left California before Roberti-Roos

I purchased a used HK91 in 1988 when they were still gun shows at Pomona Fairgrounds. It functioned easily through another 2000 rounds that I had put through it and still held a 2" group at 100 yrds with open sights and surplus ammo. It ate everything I fed it except for some tar sealed stuff that gummed the chamber flutes (but cleared quickly with clean ammo). I actually wore out two original HK Alum mags (which are supposed to be "disposable" anyway). I'm rather confused at Latigo's comment saying they would start to "loosen and rattle" over time since mine was always solid with only a cracked stock (1/2" split along the mold line) that reflected its use (but i may have smacked it). The rifle actually has some nice built in features for a "battle rifle" - true Hk's had free floating barrels and the bipods are strong enough where you could stand on the rifle with it deployed (don't ask me why I know this). I hated the creep and vagueness in the trigger though....I ended up trading it for an SR9 3 days before the last AW ban. Made it a "TC" configuration adding a PSG1 trigger and stock. The octagonal barrel works good with moly coated 168 grn ammo and on a good day can turn in a 1.25" to .80" grouping at 100 yrds with a cruddy "Super Sniper" 10x42. Forget trying to reload the brass - even with a port buffer its hit/miss.

However, you can put a heavier buffer and/or a muzzle brake to make the recoild more manageable.

I've fired 'em all, full and semi, and no matter what buffer you put in a G3, firing them from prone or off a bench isn't fun. I once watched a friend of mine fire from the bench off a rest and observed him being pushed further and further back till the point where the muzzle was on the bag...the bag lasted one round.

I'm not saying I'd throw one in the lake before I'd use it, but given a choice, it would be my last between the FAL, 14 and G3.

The only thing worse than the G3 was the original 21 - that thing was a tooth rattler of the first rank. One 50 round belt from prone and you'd need to see your dentist.

The later extended receiver versions are less painful, but running 7.62 in a recoil operated system in the weight class we're dscussing makes for a lively rifle.

__________________The way some gunshop clerks spout off, you'd think that they invented gunpowder and the repeating rifle, and sat on the Supreme Court as well.
___________________________________________"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it."
- Jeff Cooper

Check my current auctions on Gunbroker - user name bigbasscat - see what left California before Roberti-Roos

I too have been lucky enough to have either owned or extensively fired the big 3 .308 semi-auto rifles (FAL, M1A and HK91) as well as several others. I also would rank the 91 as third in the order, but understand that all three are good, solid, reliable firearms. In regards as to the specifics of why the HK is behind the other two; short barrel (LOTS of muzzle blast), balance not as good (just general heavy feel), recoil is harsher and the fluted chamber does mark the fired brass, but does not "ruin" it. In a survival situation, I personally prefer the FAL, but would have no problem with any of these provided a supply of clean ammo was available.

Also, a lot of the reliability issues on firearms come from the mags. Are you certain it wasn't the mag itself?

It was a DPMS AP4 .308 (NRA rifle of the year when it came out). I tried 4 different DPMS mags. None were better than the other. I tried surplus & commercial ammo. Neither fed reliably. My PTR was more accurate as well. After that, I lost interest in the AR .308 platform. The other 3 (M1A, HK, & FAL based) rifles get my vote. To each their own.